Benign breast cyst in a young male patient diagnosed on cytopathology: Report of a rare case

Abstract

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a widely accepted procedure for evaluating breast masses. Cystic lesions in female breasts are common. However, they are incredibly uncommon in male breasts, especially in cytology. Here, we report a rare benign breast cyst diagnosis on FNAC in a 26-year-old male patient without associated gynecomastia. A 26-year-old male patient presented to surgery outpatient department with left breast swelling for 3 months. He had no history of pain, nipple discharge, or fever. The patient, however, was on antitubercular treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. On physical examination, a small diffuse 5–6 mm lump was palpable in the left breast. Ultrasound revealed a soft small tissue lesion in the superior aspect of the left areola with the suspicious flow on color flow Doppler following which FNAC was advised. Aspiration yielded scanty fluid. On microscopy, smears showed low cellularity comprising few monolayered sheets and small aggregates of benign ductal epithelial cells admixed with a fair number of cystic macrophages in a fluid background. There was no evidence of malignancy. Thus, a cytologic diagnosis of a benign breast cyst was rendered. This is the first case report describing the cytology of a benign breast cyst diagnosed in a male patient as young as 26 without associated gynecomastia. We report this case because of the rarity of this condition and to create awareness that breast cysts should also be kept in mind when dealing with male breast masses, thus avoiding unnecessary surgery, especially in a young men.

Keywords

• cyst
• fine needle aspiration cytology
• male breast